Sacramento's Fab 40s riddled with Christmas Day traffic
SACRAMENTO — Traffic on Sacramento freeways was mostly light on Monday with most people already at their Christmas destinations, but one popular spot in the city was backed up with cars all evening.
It's in a neighborhood known for going all-out with Christmas lights and decorations. For many families, checking out the holiday lights in Sacramento's Fabulous 40s neighborhood is a Christmastime tradition.
It's a chance for people to see lit-up characters like Santa, Frosty, Rudolph, and other Christmas favorites. The streets are lined with miles of lights strung along the ground, in the trees and covering every inch of homes.
Harry Suresh helps coordinate decorating the homes on his block.
"It's something that people look forward to every year," Saurer said. "We enjoy putting it up."
On busy nights, there could be a thousand or more people strolling the streets by car, on foot, and even some less conventional means like horse carriages and limousines.
The neighborhood is also aglow with the headlights and taillights of bumper-to-bumper vehicles.
The backups were so bad, they show up in red on the Caltrans traffic maps.
Saurer said he's not put off by the lights. At times, there can be some inconvenience like when his sons drove six hours from Los Angeles.
"But then when they pull off the freeway to get to our house, that's another hour just in and of itself, getting past the crowds," he said.
However, Saurer doesn't mind all the cars and just wants to do his part in making Christmas a little more merry.
"We love every aspect," he said. "And the people walking and riding by, if I sit on the porch, they're all hollering 'Merry Christmas.' "
We're told Christmas Eve is usually the busiest night. Most homes will leave the lights on through New Year's Eve.